Lexicon

In the current context in Ohio, all programs and options for students to earn college credit while still in high school can be viewed as Accelerated Learning Opportunities. These programs and options include CC+ (College Credit Plus Program), Advanced Placement, Career-Technical Credit Transfer, International Baccalaureate and Early College High School.

• Accelerated Learning Opportunities enable a student to complete coursework while enrolled in high school that may earn credit toward a degree from an institution of higher education upon the student’s matriculation to higher education; and in some cases the college credit is based on the attainment of a specified score on an examination covering the coursework.
• Credit Flexibility (Credit Flex) primarily offers high school credits to secondary students in non‐seat time activities or programs approved by the school district. Additional programming or assessment for “test out” are options. Ohio Senate Bill 311 allows alternate pathways for those students who are eligible to receive high school credit through the use of Credit Flexibility Plans (CFPs). Ohio students are now able to earn high school credit in three ways, or in a combination of these ways:
  1. By completing traditional coursework
  2. By testing out or otherwise demonstrating achievement of the course content
  3. By pursuing one or more “educational options”
• PSEO In Ohio, PSEO is actually known as PSEOP, for Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program. It was enacted in 1989 for 11th and 12th graders. Then, in 1997, the grades were expanded to include 9th and 10th graders. Because of this, the number of students in the PSEOP quadrupled in size, with over 12,000 students attending in 2008. The typical student would take college courses on a college campus while still attending high school for other coursework.
• Dual Enrollment options enable a student to earn both high school and college credit during the regularly scheduled high school day as a result of participating in a college course offered at the high school, at a college or university, or via distance learning.

Common Terms

Appalachian Ohio

Home to a large portion of the state's economically disadvantaged students. The region is defined by 29 counties located primarily in the Southeastern portion of the State.

College Credit Plus (CC+)

H.B. 487, signed into law by Governor Kasich on June 16, 2014, this program replaced Post-Secondary Options (PSEO) and all other dual enrollment initiatives managed by the state and provides opportunities for students to earn credits toward college while in middle and high school.

College Credit Plus Pathway (CC+ Pathway)

A grouping of college courses and course sequences that total at least 15 and 30 college credit hours; may be organized around a major or career path; include various core courses required for a degree or professional certification by a college.

Delivery Methods

How a course is delivered to students (e.g., a credentialed high school teacher teaches the college course at the high school; a college professor teaches the college course at a high school; a high school student takes the course on a college campus; online; via compressed video).